JEFFERSON TWP — The new year did not welcome the Knoch boys basketball team with open arms.

The Knights dropped their first four games of 2017, but coach Ron McNabb is hoping two non-section victories can get his team back on track.

One night after earning a 75-58 win at Indiana, the Knights used inspired second-half play to top visiting Valley, 57-49, Tuesday night.

McNabb watched his team score just eight points in the second quarter as Knoch trailed 32-25 at halftime.

“I appealed to their competitiveness,” he said of his talk with the team at the break. “I thought we played too slow in the first half. We needed to play faster.”

The message was heard loud and clear. Julian Sanks and Austin Hannes both hit a 3-pointer, giving the Knights their first lead since early in the first period, a 35-34 edge with four minutes left in the third quarter.

The lead changed hands six times in the span of three minutes. The Vikings held a 41-39 edge with two seconds left in the period when Hannes was fouled while putting up a desperation heave 60 feet from the basket. He made two of his three free throws at the other end to tie the score entering the fourth quarter.

That’s when the Knights pulled away. Spurred by eight points from Hannes, Knoch went on a 12-2 run in the first 2:30 of the period to take a 53-43 lead.

The Vikings began settling for 3-point attempts and, though they hit seven of them in the game, connected on just one in the final eight minutes.

“Knoch packed it in defensively and did a good job of protecting the paint,” said Valley coach Mark Faulx. “We didn’t make the most of our possessions.”

The first half was a different story. The Vikings (7-6) jumped out to a 17-8 lead, with many players joining in the scoring. By halftime, eight Vikings had made at least one field goal.

“We have to have a balanced attack. It’s just the way we’re built,” added Faulx. “We can’t rely on just one player.”

The Knights (8-6 overall) turned the ball over nine times in the first half, but just three times in the second half.

“We just weren’t there mentally in the first half,” said Knoch senior guard Devin Campbell, “but pride took over in the second half.”

Hannes led all scorers with 22 points. Mac Christy added 14 for Knoch and P.J. Gourley 12.

Deonte Ross paced Valley with 17 points.

The Knights begin the second half of their Class 5A, Section 2 schedule on Friday when they host Mars. Knoch was just 1-5 in the first half.

“We have good players and we’re a good team,” said McNabb. “We play in a meat-grinder of a section. There’s going to be a couple of teams from this section left out of the playoffs that could win a (postseason) game or two.”

VALLEY 49

Dru Stokes 4 0-0 11, Justice Ray 2 0-0 4, Nijal Rodgers 3 1-2 7, Alex Ward 1 0-0 3, Ben Richey 1 0-0 2, Darius Johnson 1 0-0 2, Deonte Ross 6 3-5 17, Nyjewel Carter 1 0-0 3, David Belitskus 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 4-7 49.

KNOCH 57

Devin Campbell 1 0-0 3, Mac Christy 6 2-4 14, Julian Sanks 1 0-0 3, Jackson McKee 1 1-2 3, Austin Hannes 8 3-7 22, P.J. Gourley 5 2-2 12, Josh Knochel 0 0-1 0, Ben Lucas 0 0-0 0, Josh Campbell 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 8-16 57.

Valley 19 13 9 8 — 49

Knoch17 8 16 16 — 57

3-point goals: Valley 7 (Stokes 3, Ross 2, Carter, Ward);

Friday: Mars at Knoch